Already feeling the pressure, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze didn’t hold back with a pointed concern about his squad heading into the 2025 season.
Is there any college coach more in need of a turnaround than Freeze? With the SEC now expanded to 16 teams — and more competitive than ever — the Auburn leader enters preseason camp after back-to-back losing years.
Fortunately, Freeze struck a hopeful tone as Auburn returned to practice Wednesday. There’s a lot to like about this Tigers roster: Oklahoma transfer QB Jackson Arnold, a top-10 recruiting class loaded with defensive stars, and a strong receiver group led by Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton.
But one quote from Freeze stood out during his media session — and it wasn’t about Arnold or the recently reinstated wideout Malcolm Simmons.
“We have too many men who do more scrolling than sleeping,” Freeze said, as reported by AL.com’s Michael Casagrande.
That’s… rough — especially with a tough season opener at Baylor just four weeks away.
Still, not all the news from Freeze’s presser was negative. Key takeaways included:
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He’s “more excited about this fall camp than I can remember.”
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Success in 2025 will come down to doing the “small things” right.
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Boosting Jackson Arnold’s confidence is a top priority.
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Freeze emphasized the need for “length and girth” in the SEC’s physical battles.
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Standout D-line recruits Jourdin Crawford and Malik Autry are expected to play early, along with freshman linebacker Elijah Melendez and safeties AnQuon Fegans and Eric Winters.
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WR Malcolm Simmons, recently arrested on a domestic assault charge, has been cleared to rejoin team activities.
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Several players are currently limited in practice due to past injuries, including DB Champ Anthony, RBs Jeremiah Cobb and Durell Robinson, and TE Hollis Davidson.